Laker, Pacer girls play to a 0-0 draw

Walking off the field following a 0-0 tie last week, both the Lakeridge and Lake Oswego girls soccer teams seemed satisfied with the result.

For the Pacers, it was another strong performance by a team whose last loss came at the hands of the Lakers on Sept. 16. For Lake Oswego, it marked a return to form following a pair of uncharacteristic losses.

'I'm definitely pleased with what I saw tonight. I think we're back in the saddle,' Laker coach Dominic Yambasu said.

Now, with three games remaining in the regular season, everything from a playoff berth to a league championship remains wide open.

The Lakers had the majority of the good scoring opportunities throughout the game but Lakeridge's back line had a stellar game and made sure that most of Lake Oswego's shots were contested.

'The midfield and defense held together and were very solid,' Yambasu said.

After a sluggish start by both teams, the Lakers started to string passes together midway through the first half. Lake Oswego's first good chance came when Cali Reis knocked a free kick over the crossbar as the Lakers started to control the ball on Lakeridge's side of the field.

But the Pacers' defense held strong. Sophomore Abby Cramer was particularly solid in the back, thwarting a number of Laker runs.

'The defense has been solid. They're very well organized and doing a great job,' Furrer said.

The best scoring chance in the first half came from the Pacers however. In what would be the team's only shot in the first 40 minutes, Lake Oswego's Kat Colson made a terrific diving save to keep the game scoreless at the break.

Both teams picked up their intensity in the second half. Reis knocked a header just over the top and, a few minutes later, Lakeridge came up with a golden opportunity.

The Pacers drew Colson away from the net and the ball came to Jenna Horton. Her long distance shot on an open net hit the post and was eventually cleared.

While Lake Oswego out-shot Lakeridge by nearly four times, the Pacers had a handful of near misses.

With five minutes to play in the game, both teams started to play with a renewed sense of urgency.

A Lakeridge chip shot glanced off the crossbar and, with just 90 seconds to play, Lake Oswego's Mady Johnson, who had been hounded by Lakeridge defenders all night, laid a perfect pass to Ally Rumpakis and her shot sailed over the top of the goal.

'We had some great chances but I was just pleased that we played hard for 80 minutes,' Furrer said.

The Lakers also earned a late free kick that the Pacers turned away.

Lake Oswego followed up the tie with a solid 4-0 win over Milwaukie, keeping the pressure on first-place Oregon City.

'It's anybody's league right now. We still have a chance,' Yambasu said.

Lakeridge tallied a 7-0 victory over Putnam on Tuesday to further improve its playoff hopes.